TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural transformation as a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer among environmental Aeromonas species
AU - Huddleston, Jennifer R.
AU - Brokaw, Joshua M.
AU - Zak, John
AU - Jeter, Randall
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Aeromonas species are common inhabitants of aquatic environments and relevant as human pathogens. Their potential as pathogens may be related in part to lateral transfer of genes associated with toxin production, biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and other virulence determinants. Natural transformation has not been characterized in aeromonads. DNA from wild-type, prototrophic strains that had been isolated from environmental sources was used as donor DNA in transformation assays with auxotrophs as the recipients. Competence was induced in 20% nutrient broth during the stationary phase of growth. Optimal transformation assay conditions for one chosen isolate were in Tris buffer with magnesium or calcium, pH 5–8, and a saturating concentration of 0.5 g of DNA per assay (3.3 ng of DNA l−1) at 30 °C. Sodium was also required and could not be replaced with ammonium, potassium, or lithium. The maximal transformation frequency observed was 1.95 × 10−3 transformants (recipient cell)−1
AB - Aeromonas species are common inhabitants of aquatic environments and relevant as human pathogens. Their potential as pathogens may be related in part to lateral transfer of genes associated with toxin production, biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and other virulence determinants. Natural transformation has not been characterized in aeromonads. DNA from wild-type, prototrophic strains that had been isolated from environmental sources was used as donor DNA in transformation assays with auxotrophs as the recipients. Competence was induced in 20% nutrient broth during the stationary phase of growth. Optimal transformation assay conditions for one chosen isolate were in Tris buffer with magnesium or calcium, pH 5–8, and a saturating concentration of 0.5 g of DNA per assay (3.3 ng of DNA l−1) at 30 °C. Sodium was also required and could not be replaced with ammonium, potassium, or lithium. The maximal transformation frequency observed was 1.95 × 10−3 transformants (recipient cell)−1
M3 - Article
SP - 224
EP - 234
JO - Systematic and Applied Microbiology/Elsevier
JF - Systematic and Applied Microbiology/Elsevier
ER -